Flight Safety Information August 22, 2018 - No. 171 In This Issue Incident: Lufthansa B748 at Buenos Aires on Aug 17th 2018, rejected takeoff due to engine problem Incident: Republic E170 near Minneapolis on Aug 20th 2018, unruly air marshal Red Wings Tupolev Tu-204 returns to land at Ufa, Russia, after engine fire London-Bound Jet Makes Emergency Landing No Injuries After Ground Collision At O'Hare Airport LIBIK Fire Suppression Kits for the Cabin and Flight Deck. How To Hack An Aircraft New CASA Pilot Licensing Requirements To Take Effect ICAO to schedule North Korea oversight safety audit Homendy Becomes Fifth Member of NTSB Board Air NZ 787 engines still under scrutiny Free NTSB webinar: 'Reducing CMV Crashes Through the Use of Video Recorders' American Airlines Expands European Footprint and Modifies Asia Service Boom aims for supersonic airliner rate of 60 per year How the Pilot Shortage Could Change the Way We Fly Is India ready to send someone to space? GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Scott Griffith Collaborative Solutions - Principles of Reliability - Free Trial Aircraft Accident Investigation from SCSI Operational Risk Management from SCSI AViCON 2018: General Admission Ends 8/31 Position Available: Director of Safety The CARM Collaborative Working Group NATA's 2018 Ground Handling Safety Symposium 2018 DFW ISASI Chapter Dinner ISASI 2018 2018 CHC SAFETY & QUALITY SUMMIT October 2nd - 4th, 2018 PROVIDING ASSURANCE IN YOUR SYSTEMS Incident: Lufthansa B748 at Buenos Aires on Aug 17th 2018, rejected takeoff due to engine problem A Lufthansa Boeing 747-800, registration D-ABYP performing flight LH-511 from Buenos Aires Ezeiza,BA (Argentina) to Frankfurt/Main (Germany), was accelerating for takeoff from Ezeiza's runway 11 when the crew rejected takeoff at low speed (about 40 knots over ground) due to a problem with the #4 engine (GEnx, outboard right hand). The aircraft slowed safely and returned to the apron. The flight was cancelled. The airline reported a maintenance team has been dispatched to Buenos Aires to check the engine. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Buenos Aires about 96 hours after the rejected takeoff. http://avherald.com/h?article=4bca7d4d&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Republic E170 near Minneapolis on Aug 20th 2018, unruly air marshal A Republic Airways Embraer ERJ-170 on behalf of United, registration N645RW performing flight YX-3531/UA-3531 from Newark,NJ to Minneapolis,MN (USA) with 64 passengers and 4 crew, was descending towards Minneapolis with the crew being unaware of federal air marshals (FAM) on board, when one of two FAMs on board approached a flight attendant and demanded to see the passenger manifest. The FAM subsequently, instead of showing his badge, showed his gun to the flight attendant, who considered the scenario as suspicious and informed the flight deck about the passenger and the gun on board. The crew declared emergency stating that even if the individual was a FAM this was completely against standard operating procedures. They had secured the cockpit, the door was locked. The crew and ATC discussed where to park the aircraft for emergency services to have access to the aircraft and decided to stop the aircraft at the de-ice pad near runway 30L. The aircraft landed safely on runway 30L and taxied to the de-ice pad, where the engines were shut down. The crew advised that the individual appeared to be pretty agitated claiming the flight attendant should never ever have informed the flight deck. In the meantime dispatch transmitted an ACARS message to the crew confirming there were two FAMs on board of the flight. Crew and ATC subsequently decided to have the aircraft taxied to the gate, the crew started engine #1 and taxied to the gate, where passengers disembarked. Police hand cuffed the two FAMs and took them into custody but released them a short time later. The FBI reported it appeared there was a miscommunication between a federal air marshal and a flight attendant. The flight attendant mistook the FAM for an armed civilian. The FAM had been assigned to be on the flight. The airline confirmed they are aware of the incident and are working with the authorities. The TSA stated: "A Federal Air Marshal on official business onboard a flight was mistaken for a passenger by a flight attendant. Protocols for notification of law enforcement presence aboard an aircraft are in place to avoid incidents like this. TSA is working with the airline to determine the specific circumstances in this case." The airport stated: "We know we have a call from the flight crew indicating a passenger flashed a gun in flight. We contact the FBI and make preparations to board the flight in a remote area when it lands. We then take the individuals to the police operations center for questioning by the investigating agency, the FBI, whose job it is to get to the bottom of who the individuals are and discern the facts behind the situation that led to the call for police help. Our first priority is always to ensure everyone's safety, and that involves first creating a separation between the public and suspicious objects or individuals and then determining whether or not the individual or object presents an actual threat. That is precisely what happened Monday night." https://flightaware.com/live/flight/UAL3531/history/20180821/0110Z/KEWR/KMSP http://avherald.com/h?article=4bca78b7&opt=0 Back to Top Red Wings Tupolev Tu-204 returns to land at Ufa, Russia, after engine fire Date: 22-AUG-2018 Time: 05:06 a.m. Type: Tupolev Tu-204-100 Owner/operator: Red Wings Registration: RA-64050 C/n / msn: 1450743164050 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 202 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Minor Location: Ufa Airport (UFA/UWUU) - Russia Phase: Take off Nature: Domestic Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Ufa Airport (UFA/UWUU) Destination airport: Adler/Sochi Airport (AER/URSS) Narrative: Red Wings flight 808, a Tupolev Tu-204, experienced engine surging of the no.1 (left) PS-90A engine during takeoff from Ufa, Russia. The flight crew were notified by the controller and through an engine fire warning on the flight deck. The automatic fire extinguishing system did not work, so the flight crew manually activated the fire extinguishing bottles. The aircraft returned to land. There were 215 passengers and 7 crew members on board. RAW: Moment a jet engine goes on fire shortly after take-off https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=214604 Back to Top London-Bound Jet Makes Emergency Landing A Gulfstream IV landed safely at New York Stewart International Airport (SWF) on Tuesday afternoon after blowing two tires on takeoff from New Jersey's Teterboro Airport (TEB). The Gulfstream departed for London Luton Airport (LTN) in Luton, England, at 10:50 a.m. on Tuesday. It has been confirmed that musician Post Malone was one of the 16 people on board the privately owned jet. After circling above TEB for about half an hour with emergency vehicles standing by, the aircraft first planned to divert to Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport (BAF) in Westfield, Massachusetts. While en route, the decision was made to head for SWF's 11,800-foot runway instead. The aircraft remained aloft for approximately five hours to burn fuel in preparation for landing. According to a statement released by the FAA, the flight landed at SWF at about 3:50 p.m. EST and the aircraft was towed to the ramp after landing. The agency has said it will investigate the incident. https://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/London-Bound-Jet-Makes-Emergency-Landing-231411-1.html Back to Top No Injuries After Ground Collision At O'Hare Airport CHICAGO (CBS) -A fuel tank collided with one of its Boeing 737 planes on the ground at O'Hare Airport Tuesday, according to United Airlines. The airline says the plane was empty after arriving from Saint Louis. There is a dent on the plane where the tank collided. https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2018/08/21/no-injuries-after-ground-collision-at-ohare-airport/ Back to Top Back to Top How To Hack An Aircraft Weak systems and software complexity put aircraft systems at increasing risk of attack.SYNOPSYS Hacking an aircraft is easier than you might think. Last year, a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official admitted that he and his team of experts remotely hacked into a Boeing 757. In 2016, there were more than 50 reports of GPS interference at Manila International Airport - which can lead to "missed approaches" forcing flight crews to re-approach the runway using backup navigation systems. The results of an attack on a plane can be catastrophic. After the 2008 crash of Spanair flight 5022, it was discovered that a central computer system used to monitor technical problems in the aircraft was infected with malware. An internal report by the airline revealed the infected computer failed to find three technical problems with the aircraft which, if detected, might have stopped the plane from taking off in the first place. The ability to breach an aircraft system has already been demonstrated. Security researcher Ruben Santamarta has shown how attacks such as bypassing the credit card check and SQL injection can be conducted on an in-flight entertainment system. Such assaults can even be perpetrated from the ground, he says. Meanwhile, US regulator the Federal Aviation Administration(FAA) has warned that some computer systems on the Boeing 747-8 and 747-8F may be vulnerable to outside attacks due to the nature of their connectivity. In addition, weak encryption systems in aircraft communications addressing and reporting systems have raised issues around the privacy of messages sent via the data-link. According to Nitha Suresh, a cybersecurity consultant at Synopsys, the surveillance signal used to broadcast the position of aircraft can potentially be eavesdropped or spoofed by highly skilled attackers. The risk is particularly elevated in aviation due to the complexity of aircraft systems. Over the years, the size of the software supporting them has grown exponentially, says Suresh. This complexity - including multiple lines of code - lowers the testability of the software, leaving behind vulnerabilities which can be exploited by a skilled attacker. Adding to this, the software goes through many overhauls and updates during the lifecycle of the plane. "Unless this job is carried out with extreme caution, there is a great deal of potential for security bugs to creep into the software," Suresh says. In addition, modern avionics software development takes advantage of commercial off-the-shelf components. But this can potentially allow an attacker to tunnel through and enter the heart of the system, Suresh warns. She says software vendors should take necessary precautions in terms of plugging the loopholes, "just like they would with any other open architecture". At the same time, Suresh points out that major development standards don't currently include detailed cybersecurity policies. Although she concedes, the Aircraft Systems Information Security Protection (ASISP) 2015 initiative by the FAA "is a move in the right direction". So, what can be done to prevent malicious actors from attacking aircraft? The risks can, to an extent, be mitigated by the effective decision-making capability of an experienced pilot - who might spot something unusual, says Suresh. But she emphasizes the importance of understanding the attack surface. "There should be a common repository of threats to both hardware and software detected by the developers and assessors. This needs to be maintained by regulatory agencies like the FAA and should also be available across different development platforms." Meanwhile, development teams should be able to compile all known threats to build a model. "Within this threat model, there should be information about threats that exclusively affect the product or piece of software at hand," she adds. Suresh also recommends taking advantage of threat intelligence and security awareness. "Anyone who is directly or indirectly involved with critical systems should be made aware of the security threats looming." https://www.forbes.com/sites/kateoflahertyuk/2018/08/22/how-to-hack-an-aircraft/#79cc22ad41d1 Back to Top New CASA Pilot Licensing Requirements To Take Effect Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has removed the requirement to include basic instrument flight training (BIFT) to obtain an initial private or commercial helicopter license. The new rules, which take effect September 1, also make permanent the 105-hour commercial pilot license with helicopter category rating qualification option. The BIFT requirement got added when the country's CAA Part 61 was modified to align with ICAO standards. But the agency noted that most training helicopters are not equipped for instrument flight training. Additionally, the number of flight training devices is increasing, and the Australian helicopter industry indicated that the issuance of a non-ICAO license is acceptable. Pilots can complete flight training for type ratings and the practical component of their instrument proficiency checks overseas for a further two years under the amendments. According to CASA, the delay will enable the agency to "consider appropriate longer-term arrangements." Finally, the new rules also give pilots until September 1 to gain their CAA Part 61 license based on holding previous authorizations. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2018-08-21/new-casa-pilot-licensing- requirements-take-effect Back to Top ICAO to schedule North Korea oversight safety audit North Korea pledges airspace safety improvement in ICAO meeting ICAO is holding discussions with North Korean authorities with the aim of scheduling an aviation safety oversight audit of the country. While dates are still undecided, there is the possibility of an ICAO audit occurring in 2019 or 2020, an ICAO spokesman confirmed. "This is a cyclical and very ordinary activity we undertake in all ICAO member countries, and the dates for the next [North Korean] visit are currently being established," the spokesman said. The ICAO audit process examines the regulatory and safety oversight mechanisms of a particular country, with findings based on aviation authorities rather than local airlines. If the audit identifies serious safety concerns (SSCs), ICAO can put a country on its "red flag" list, which often prompts other countries to restrict access for the flagged nation's airlines. The last ICAO audit of North Korea was completed in 2008, and the country was not placed on the red flag list. However, ICAO has had other concerns regarding North Korea. The United Nations agency criticized the country in 2017 for conducting unannounced missile launches, which ICAO said endangered commercial flights. Almost all airlines avoid North Korean airspace for this reason. The US government has banned its carriers from operating in the North Korean flight information region. There have been promising signs recently that North Korea wants to improve its civil aviation relations with ICAO and with other states. ICAO sent a mission to the reclusive country in May, during which North Korean officials pledged that no more unannounced missile launches would occur. At that time, North Korea's General Administration of Civil Aviation (GACA) also committed to pursue ICAO safety oversight and security audits. http://atwonline.com/safety/icao-schedule-north-korea-oversight-safety-audit Back to Top Homendy Becomes Fifth Member of NTSB Board Less than two weeks after swearing in a new member who has a lengthy general aviation safety background, NTSB chairman Robert Sumwalt swore in Jennifer Homendy, adding a member who brings substantial expertise in rail and pipeline safety. Homendy, who officially took her new duties yesterday, joined the Board after Bruce Landsberg became vice chairman and a member of NTSB on August 7. The Senate confirmed both to the NTSB in July. The additions bring the Board to its full complement of five members for the first time since early 2014. It had been operating with three members since January. "It is my privilege to join this team of professionals who are dedicated to transportation safety, and I look forward to the challenging and rewarding work that awaits me," Homendy said. Sumwalt praised Homendy's experience, which includes an extensive background in legislation, hazardous materials, and transportation. Nominated to fill a vacated term that expires Dec. 31, 2019, Homendy previously was the Democrat staff director of the House railroads, pipelines, and hazardous materials subcommittee, where she led oversight investigations of the Enbridge pipeline spill in Marshall, Michigan, and a multimodal review of the DOT's drug and alcohol testing program. Before joining the subcommittee in 2004, she served with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Transportation Trades Department of the AFL-CIO, and American Iron and Steel Institute. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2018-08-21/homendy-becomes-fifth- member-ntsb-board Back to Top Air NZ 787 engines still under scrutiny Damage to an Air NZ Boeing 787-9 Rolls Royce engine after the aircraft returned to Auckland airport in December. Air New Zealand has been faced with further operating restrictions as a result of safety edicts over the risks of damage to Rolls Royce engines on some of its Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. Both the European and United States aviation regulators imposed broader limits in April on airlines using the engines because of worries that if one suffered blade cracking in flight the pressure on the other remaining engine to get the aircraft to safe haven might also cause it to fail. The regulators ruled aircraft had to be at all times within two hours and 20 minutes of an airport to divert to rather than the previous five and a half hours. That ruled out Dreamliner flights to North and South America and meant some changes in their use to Asian destinations. The directives also cut total weights on the affected Dreamliner flights in certain conditions to ease pressure on any remaining solo engine in making it to safety, although Air New Zealand says it has found a way to work within that without affecting its full complement of passengers and cargo. The extra safety measures limited Air New Zealand's use of its 11 Dreamliners, many operating with the affected Rolls Royce Trent 1000 C Pack engines. A briefing from our Civil Aviation Authority to the Minister of Transport Phil Twyford on April 18, released to Newsroom under the Official Information Act, said the authority needed to tell him "of a new and serious engine problem on the Boeing B787-9 fleet operated by Air New Zealand." The director of civil aviation, Graeme Harris, said the problem was not with the Intermediate Pressure Turbine which had been the subject of investigations and publicity since Air New Zealand had two separate engine problems in December on flights to Buenos Aires and Tokyo. This time the issue was with Intermediate Pressure Compressors in the engines. He explained Rolls Royce had found the compressor's second stage blades could suffer "cumulative fatigue damage that can cause blade failure and consequent engine shutdown" as a result of airflow conditions when the engine was at high thrust under certain temperatures and altitudes. "While fatigue cracking of the stage 2 blades is a safety concern, in isolation it is no more significant that the IPT blade cracking reported earlier," Harris wrote. "What adds an order of magnitude of seriousness to the IPC blade problem is the susceptibility of these blades to a resonant frequency vibration at high power settings. "In the event of a single engine in-flight shutdown during the cruise phase of flight, thrust on the remaining engine is normally increased to maximum continuous thrust (MCT) for some period during the diversion to an alternate airport." The concern is that "the loss of one engine will result in the remaining engine being operated at a high power setting which, because of the resonant frequency vibration of the IPC stage 2 blades, would result in the failure of the second engine before the diversion is completed. "The probability of this dual failure would be greater if the IPC blades in the second engine were already cracked." The CAA said the European Aviation Safety Agency and the US Federal Aviation Administration had issued airworthiness directives limiting the flight time such aircraft could be away from an airport to divert to - and imposing limits on total weight of passengers and cargo to limit the load on a single engine if such a diversion was necessary. The report says Air New Zealand is one of four airlines most affected - with All Nippon Airways, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic - because it flies over long water routes. Most US and Australian airlines with Dreamliners were fitted with General Electric engines and not affected. The CAA notes Air New Zealand has taken measures to 'mitigate' the risks - which have included leasing aircraft from other operators and some changes to routes - but says the 140 minute diversion time imposed would rule out flights from New Zealand to North and South America. Its Dreamliners would still be able to be used on flights to Asia "although some less efficient routes may need to be selected to meet the diversion time." The report to the transport minister contains blacked out sections on what Air NZ has done to mitigate issues and how many of its aircraft had been found to have cracks in the affected engines before the April safety directives. Air New Zealand told Newsroom yesterday it "continues to be fully compliant" with airworthiness directives. "Along with conducting ongoing engine inspections, we are currently operating with the maximum diversion time allowed under the FAA Airworthiness Directive (140 minutes)." It noted some of its engines qualified for greater diversion times - for example, one having been fitted with Rolls Royce Trent 1000 TEN engines not being subject to the new limit and still operating at 330 minutes. A spokeswoman said Air New Zealand accepted the CAA's adoption of the two foreign regulators' views. "Safety is paramount and non-negotiable at Air New Zealand." Air New Zealand had been able to get an exemption to the FAA directive restricting take-off weight by seeking permission from the CAA to use a "specialist forecasting tool" which could pinpoint exactly where icing is likely to occur and the airline could plan flights to avoid it. "The restriction was greater when atmospheric icing was forecast along the route. By using this specialist tool we have not needed to make any en route fuel stops in recent months." Air New Zealand has addressed the engine safety issues since December by retiming some international flights, swapping aircraft types on some routes and leasing long haul aircraft from Boeing and EVA Air to manage its way through. In April, after the EASA directive on the compressor, Air NZ said: "As a result of the checks two Air New Zealand 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft will be temporarily removed from service while engines undergo maintenance work at a Rolls-Royce facility in Singapore. "Around 340 engines globally are subject to the checks, and this is placing very high demand on Rolls- Royce's maintenance facility meaning it may take a number of months before Air New Zealand's engine repair work can be completed." https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/travel-troubles/106432471/air-nz-787-engines-still-under-scrutiny Back to Top Free NTSB webinar: 'Reducing CMV Crashes Through the Use of Video Recorders' Washington - The National Transportation Safety Board has announced it will host a free webinar to discuss strategies for reducing commercial motor vehicle crashes through the use of video recorders. The webinar, scheduled for 1 p.m. Central on Sept. 13, will include insight from investigators and recorder analysts from NTSB's Office of Highway Safety and Office of Research and Engineering, as well as commercial fleet owners. Interested parties can register for the webinar or contact SafetyAdvocacy@ntsb.gov for more information. Expand recorder use to enhance safety is on NTSB's list of 10 "Most Wanted" safety improvements for 2017-18. https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/17368-free-ntsb-webinar-reducing-cmv-crashes- through-the-use-of-video-recorders Back to Top American Airlines Expands European Footprint and Modifies Asia Service New service to Germany, Italy and Croatia set to begin next summer FORT WORTH, Texas, Aug. 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- American Airlines is expanding its European network next summer with nine new routes designed to meet customer demand: CLT: Daily year-round service to Munich Airport (MUC) DFW: Daily summer seasonal service to Dublin Airport (DUB) and to MUC ORD: Daily summer seasonal service to Athens International Airport (ATH) in Greece PHL: Daily summer seasonal service to Edinburgh Airport (EDI) in Scotland; new summer seasonal service to Berlin-Tegel Airport (TXL), Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport (BLQ) in Italy and Dubrovnik Airport (DBV) in Croatia PHX: Daily seasonal service to London Heathrow Airport (LHR) Additionally, given the current fuel and competitive environment, American will suspend service between O'Hare International Airport (ORD) in Chicago and Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) in October and seek a dormancy waiver from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for the route authority. American will also reduce service between ORD and Narita International Airport (NRT) in Japan from daily to three days per week, effective in December. Europe American will add three new destinations to its network with the introduction of service between Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) and TXL, BLQ and DBV next summer. These seasonal flights will be operated June through September on Boeing 767 aircraft, featuring lie-flat business class seats, Cole Haan amenity kits and chef-designed meals with award-winning wines. "By providing the only nonstop service from North America to Bologna and Dubrovnik and adding Berlin to our international footprint, American is making it easier to see the world," said Vasu Raja, Vice President of Network and Schedule Planning. "Through our Atlantic Joint Business, we have seen increased interest to these markets from the U.S., and adjusting our network to introduce these destinations will provide more choices for customers on both sides of the Atlantic." This summer, American launched seasonal service from PHL to Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport (BUD) in Hungary and Vaclav Havel Airport Prague (PRG) in the Czech Republic, as well as from ORD to Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) in Italy and from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to Keflavik International Airport (KEF) in Iceland, all of which will operate through the end of October and return in 2019. American will also add a new nonstop flight from Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) in Phoenix to LHR, complementing existing service from PHX provided by Atlantic Joint Business partner British Airways. With the addition of American's PHX-LHR service, American and British Airways together will operate more than 70 flights per day to London from North America. "We are in the business of making the world more accessible, and with the success of Budapest and Prague, as well as the new flights we're announcing today, we continue to make the world a little bit smaller for our customers," said Raja. "We are pleased to work with our partners at British Airways to design a schedule that complements the full joint business." Atlantic Joint Business partner Finnair has also announced new service between Helsinki Airport (HEL) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), which will begin March 31. American's new flights will be available for sale Aug. 27. 2019 additions: Route Aircraft Season Frequency CLT-MUC* A330-200 Begins March 31 Daily DFW-DUB* 787-9 June 6-Sept. 28 Daily DFW-MUC* 787-8 June 6-Oct. 26 Daily ORD-ATH* 787-8 May 3-Sept. 28 Daily PHL-EDI* 757 April 2-Oct. 26 Daily PHL-TXL* 767 June 7-Sept. 28 Four times weekly PHL-BLQ* 767 June 6-Sept. 28 Four times weekly PHL-DBV* 767 June 7-Sept. 27 Three times weekly PHX-LHR 777-200 March 31-Oct. 26 Daily *Subject to government approval Asia American will remove nonstop ORD-PVG service from its schedule in October and seek a dormancy waiver from the DOT to permit a return to the market once conditions improve. The last westbound flight will be Oct. 26 and the last eastbound flight will be Oct. 27. Customers holding reservations after these dates will be reaccommodated on other flights and can continue to reach PVG directly through American's hubs at DFW and LAX and from ORD via NRT in conjunction with Pacific Joint Business partner Japan Airlines (JAL). "We remain strongly committed to Asia and will continue to serve the region through our hubs in Dallas/Fort Worth and Los Angeles," added Raja. "Our Chicago-Shanghai service is unprofitable and simply not sustainable in this high fuel cost environment and when we have opportunities to be successful in other markets." American will also reduce its ORD-NRT service from daily to three days per week starting Dec. 18. Together, American and JAL will continue to provide nonstop service from ORD to NRT 10 times per week. During the peak summer season between June and August, JAL will increase its service on the route so that combined, the carriers offer twice-daily service that captures peak demand out of Tokyo. "These adjustments to our Asia service are necessary in this high fuel cost environment, but we remain committed to the network we've worked hard to build," added Raja. "As with Shanghai, American will continue to serve Tokyo through our hubs in Dallas/Fort Worth and Los Angeles." About American Airlines Group American Airlines and American Eagle offer an average of nearly 6,700 flights per day to nearly 350 destinations in more than 50 countries. American has hubs in Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Washington, D.C. American is a founding member of the oneworld® alliance, whose members serve more than 1,000 destinations with about 14,250 daily flights to over 150 countries. Shares of American Airlines Group Inc. trade on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol AAL. In 2015, its stock joined the S&P 500 index. Connect with American on Twitter @AmericanAir and at Facebook.com/AmericanAirlines. Corporate Communications 817-967-1577 mediarelations@aa.com Source: American Airlines Group, Inc. https://www.nasdaq.com/press-release/american-airlines-expands-european-footprint-and-modifies-asia- service-20180821-00598 Back to Top Boom aims for supersonic airliner rate of 60 per year The Boom Technology XB-1 demonstrator. Boom Technology unveils supersonic demonstrator Boom Technology is fully funded to get a demonstrator of the supersonic airliner it is developing in the air by the end of 2019, the Denver-based company's CEO says. Addressing audiences at a pre-conference event and during the Boyd Group International Aviation Summit in Denver Aug. 21, Boom CEO Blake Scholl said the XB-1 "Baby Boom" demonstrator was set to make its first flight by end of 2019 and the company could be ready to deliver its first aircraft to an airline as early as 2025. "We're the only supersonic program to be fully funded through first flight," Scholl said. Japan Airlines (JAL) has invested $10 million in the entrepreneurial company, which gives it the option of purchase 20 of the 55-seat airliners, which would fly at Mach 2.2 and cost about $200 million per aircraft, according to Scholl. Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic has also taken options for 10 Boom aircraft. While the aircraft is being developed using existing technology, reducing risk and costs, it would still require a ticket price that would put it in the upper-premium class. The $200 million price tag would make it about $60 more expensive than a Boeing 787-9, but Scholl argues the "cost magic" of the supersonic aircraft lies with its "speed dividend". Because it could potentially halve the flight time of long-haul routes, Blake says an airline would therefore get twice as many trips out of the aircraft; for example 1,327 trips per year versus a 787's 584. Boom is also promoting the idea that airlines would be able to segment its premium traffic, with high- yield passengers willing to pay more to greatly reduce their flight times. "You are chopping off the front of your widebody," Scholl said, referring to the premium cabin at the front of a typical multi-class airliner. "Blake's crystal ball is that subsonic will become the low-cost carrier market and supersonic will become the premium." But Boom, which now employs 85 people, has a long way to go to make the aircraft the first supersonic airliner since the Franco-British Concorde stopped operations in 2003. Scholl, for instance, does not address how an airline would make its widebodies profitable without the high-yield passengers that typically provide the majority of the full-service airline's profits. Nor does he fully address the additional operational costs and complexity of introducing an additional aircraft type in a fleet, although he says, "We are deliberately designing it to make it as easy to operate as possible. You don't need widebody gates; it's the opposite of an A380." Another operational hurdle is that, based on the existing technology, ATW understands the aircraft could not do routes such as Los Angeles-Tokyo nonstop; it would need to refuel somewhere-Alaska, for instance. That would add time, ground support and potentially customer support costs. Nevertheless, Scholl says that the aircraft is generating a lot of interest. The company had a chalet at the Farnborough Air Show in July and it was "buzzing", he said. "The conversation today is about who is in the market and who will be first." The two-seat XB-1 demonstrator is being built at the company's Colorado facility at Centennial Airport near Denver. It will be powered by three General Electric J85 engines and test flights will take place in southern California. The production aircraft would be powered by three turbofans and have a 1-1 cabin configuration. The company is aiming for an annual production rate of 60 aircraft, Scholl said. http://atwonline.com/aircraft-engines/boom-aims-supersonic-airliner-rate-60-year Back to Top How the Pilot Shortage Could Change the Way We Fly THE STAFFING SITUATION WON'T AFFECT ALL AIRLINES-OR PASSENGERS-IN THE SAME WAY. Higher airfares. More delays and cancellations. Fewer flights at smaller airports. It's hard to imagine, but air travel could soon get even more frustrating-and it's not for the usual reasons, like packed-to-the-gills planes or airlines' penchant for overscheduling flights at big airports. The reason behind this downbeat scenario? A brain drain in the cockpits of commercial airlines, which can be attributed to an aging pilot base: The mandatory retirement for pilots worldwide ranges from 60 to a maximum of 65 at U.S. airlines, and since baby boomers make up about half of the pilot population at most carriers, that milestone is catching up to many of them at the same time. In a recent speech, the acting head of the FAA, Daniel Elwell, warned of a "tsunami of retirements" that will occur in the next five to ten years and deplete the ranks of commercial pilots. Boeing, in a recent forecast, predicted that the aviation industry worldwide will need 790,000 new pilots in the next 20 years. Airbus, for its part, says that 540,000 new pilots will be needed in that timeframe. Numbers aside, the case is clear: "The pilot shortage is real," says John Goglia, an aviation safety consultant and former National Transportation Safety Board member. Already, some travelers are feeling the squeeze. Earlier this year, Horizon Air, part of Seattle-based Alaska Air Group, had to slash hundreds of flights because it didn't have enough pilots to keep up its schedule. In 2018, the pilot shortfall in the U.S. could reach 2,000 jobs-and in the next five years, it could reach 5,000 or more. But just who will fill those vacancies is less obvious. Traditionally, more than three-quarters of commercial pilots came from the military, according to the airlines and the FAA; Uncle Sam, in effect, paid for the training. Now, roughly a third of pilots are drawn from the armed forces, and the alternative-private flight schools-requires a substantial six-figure investment and serious sacrifice, given the low starting salaries for junior pilot jobs, which can fall in the $20,000 to $30,000 range, annually. "THE UNITEDS AND DELTAS ARE NOT HAVING A PROBLEM FINDING PILOTS. BUT THEY ARE SUCKING UP THE TALENT FROM EVERYONE ELSE." Of course, this all could have been foreseen given the demographics of the pilot workforce. But for various reasons (9/11 and the 2008-2009 recession being two big ones) the pilot exodus didn't materialize overnight; instead, there was a surplus when the biggest airlines laid off pilots during the lean years. And ten years ago, it was further forestalled when the pilots' retirement age was extended by the FAA from 60 to 65, in part to stave off a wave of retirements. "That bought a little more time, but it didn't fix the fundamental problem," Goglia says. But many pilots groups are pushing back, saying there's no reason the airlines can't find enough pilots to fill vacancies if they'll pay enough to attract good candidates. "There is no pilot shortage in the United States," said the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), which represents more than 60,000 members working for 34 airlines in the U.S. and Canada, in a statement. "Airlines that have increased pay, benefits, and quality of life have had no difficulty hiring qualified pilots." Still, the staffing situation won't affect all airlines in the same way-and likewise, it will play out differently for travelers, depending on which airline you're flying and where you're going. Here, some trends that bear watching: Regional airlines and some foreign lines will feel the pinch "The Uniteds and Deltas are not having a problem finding pilots," says Goglia, noting that these now- profitable behemoths have raised pay levels and benefits. "But they are sucking up the talent from everyone else." Regional airlines now offer higher pay and even signing bonuses, but turnover will remain high, since these companies are seen as a gateway to a more lucrative job at a big airline. Some airlines in Asia and Africa are also seeing a talent exodus-it's gotten to a critical level in India, for example, in part because the aviation industry is booming, and also because some carriers in the Middle East and China are paying more than double what many Indian carriers do, reports Economic Times. And in Europe, budget lines like Ryanair are seeing a similar rate of defections. In the U.S., smaller markets served by commuter and budget lines will feel the pinch the most. Last year, regional airlines were only able to hire half of the pilots they needed to operate their schedules-and 50 percent of all departures in the U.S. are on these small-fry lines, according to the Regional Airline Association. In fact, when two regionals, Republic and SeaPort, filed for bankruptcy in 2016, they cited the pilot shortage as a factor. Denver-based Great Lakes Airlines also gave the same reason for its decision to shut down earlier this year. And if flights are curbed at smaller and mid-size airports, fares inevitably rise. "It's going to reduce the potential growth of the industry-and impact our national economy," said the FAA's Elwell. Safety concerns will take center stage It was aviation safety that actually drove the changes that contributed to the pilot shortage. It took two airline crashes within a few weeks of each other in 2009 to illustrate the importance of pilot experience. First came Capt. Sully Sullenberger, who made his splash landing in the Hudson on a frigid January day; all passengers aboard the US Airways jet survived. Then, in February, a Colgan Air turboprop crashed outside of Buffalo, killing all 49 people aboard. The investigation revealed that the two pilots were relatively junior, poorly paid (one earned less than $20,000 a year), and were sleep deprived when they took the controls of the plane. As a result, Congress in 2010 raised the minimum requirements to fly a scheduled airline flight from 250 hours to 1,500 hours, a significant bar that airlines have blamed for the difficulties in recruiting new pilots. And later in 2014, the FAA raised the minimum required rest time between flights from eight hours to ten; airlines say that means they need up to eight percent more pilots to simply fly the same schedule. Some fear that the airlines will use the pilot shortage to push for relaxation of the 1,500-hour rule. It would be strongly opposed by pilots and many safety advocates, as the rule already has some exceptions cutting the number of hours required, for pilots who have military flight experience or who trained in university programs. (Airline unions also oppose any easing of the rules, and they've got a strong argument for their side: the positive safety record of U.S. airlines in the last decade since the minimum qualifications for pilots were first tightened eight years ago.) Another idea would be to extend the retirement age, again, to 67. "There's nothing wrong with older pilots," says Mark Weiss, a retired commercial airline pilot who is now a safety consultant. "If you are sharp enough to pass your annual check ride, it shouldn't be a problem." In-house flight schools become an answer But the other solution-for the industry to train more pilots-is already here. "Airlines need to consider forming their own pipeline," says one pilot who currently flies for a major airline. The Lufthansa group, for one, already has a program allowing pilots in training to defer their tuition costs; Emirates opened its own training academy last year, and Qantas and AirAsia have similar initiatives. U.S. airlines will need to begin recruiting and training their own pilot candidates, and are slowly starting to: In April, American announced the American Airlines Cadet Academy, a new flight school, with the intent of recruiting the next generation of pilots. https://www.cntraveler.com/story/how-the-pilot-shortage-could-change-the-way-we-fly Back to Top Is India ready to send someone to space? India's "monster rocket" carried a huge satellite into space in 2017 Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that India will carry out a manned space flight by 2022. Science writer Pallava Bagla asks whether the country's space agency can pick up the gauntlet. Scientists at the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) reckon they will need $1.28bn (£1.01bn) to fulfil Mr Modi's challenge - and they think they can launch the flight within 40 months. There are many reasons why they believe it can be done. They hope to use the country's heaviest rocket - the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III or GSLV Mk-III - for the space flight. This 640-tonne, 43-metre tall rocket was launched successfully in 2017. The coverage of the launch was euphoric, and often colourful, with websites comparing the rocket to the weight of 200 elephants or five jumbo jets. This rocket can launch 10 tonnes of payload into low-Earth orbit- an altitude of 2,000km (1,200 miles) or less above the planet - which is more than enough to send a crew into space, say scientists. With some modifications, the launch pad from a site off the Bay of Bengal can easily be used to launch astronauts, they say. The author in a locally developed a space suit for the astronauts The space agency carried out a successful "pad abort test" in July which saw a test vehicle - carrying no humans, only a dummy - hurled skywards by a set of powerful in-built thrusters. The demonstration simulated what would happen to the crew ship in the event of a rocket failure on the launch pad. Indian scientists have also developed light weight silicon tiles that can resist getting burnt and will be used to coat the outside of the space vehicle. (When a spacecraft comes back into the Earth's atmosphere it faces roasting temperatures above 1,000C due to friction.) An Ahmedabad-based laboratory has already developed a space suit for the astronauts. The biggest challenge, according to scientists, will be to train the astronauts and to develop the necessary life support system to keep them alive in space. "The astronaut programme will not only bolster national pride, it will also galvanise the youth to take up a career in science," Isro chairman and well-known rocket scientist, K Sivan, told me. 'Coming of age' Dr Sivan says that since India still does not have the full capability of training astronauts, "expertise of other agencies" could be sought to keep to the deadline. Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian to travel into space in 1984 in a Soviet rocket, says a manned space flight is a "natural corollary of every space programme that has attained a level of maturity - a coming of age, if you will." To date Russia, the US and China have sent astronauts into space. If India can achieve this, it will become the fourth country to launch humans into space. But there are some scientists who believe the goal of the space mission is misplaced. "Sending Indians into space is the most silly and idiotic idea, especially 50 years after Neil Armstrong first landed on the moon," veteran space scientist V Siddhartha says. Armstrong, who died in 2012, set foot on the Moon on 20 July 1969, famously describing the event as "one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind". Mr Siddhartha says robotic missions can now do many things that astronauts do, without the risk of sending humans into space. Dr Sivan counters this by saying that there are still many tasks only human intelligence can perform. He adds that India seeks to build up its own capabilities to launch Indians into space. "If colonies have to be set up outside Earth for the human civilisation, how can India, one of the oldest civilisations, be left behind and wanting," he said. The rocket carrying 104 satellites was launched from the Sriharikota space centre in 2017 Professor K Vijay Raghavan, principal scientific adviser to the federal government, told me India has the "perfect technology and cultural environment" for the mission. In the past, Isro has always delivered on the challenges that have been thrown at them. In 2014, India successfully put a satellite into orbit around Mars, becoming the fourth nation or geo-bloc to do so. The mission cost $67m, which, by Western standards, was staggeringly cheap. Earlier, in 2009, the inaugural moon mission Chandrayaan-1 became the first and the most detailed search for water on the Moon using radars. And in 2017, India created history by successfully launching 104 satellites on a single mission, overtaking the previous record of 37 satellites launched by Russia in 2014. "Failure is not an option," says Dr Sivan. "Team Isro will rise to the challenge to make sure that an Indian is launched into space by 2022." https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-45243908 Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY My name is Kate Fraser and I am currently pursuing my Master of Science in Human Factors in Aerospace at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Worldwide campus. I am writing my thesis on automation trust and reliance and have prepared a research survey questionnaire. The link to the survey can be found here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RYWG3JH The objective of this thesis is to better understand if automation trust and perception differs by age. Obtaining a better understanding of how trust varies by age will enable a closer examination of any side effects, specifically complacency. Additionally, this survey will enable additional exploration of the pilot's role in the aircraft depending on if perception of automation has changed. To be eligible to complete this survey, you must be over the age of 18 and at least hold a student pilot certificate. This questionnaire should not take longer than five minutes to complete and is both anonymous and confidential. Should you choose to participate, please take a minute to read the informed consent form linked to the first survey question. Thank you so much for your time. Regards, Kate Fraser Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University fraserk@my.erau.edu Back to Top Scott Griffith Collaborative Solutions Principles of Reliability - Free Trial Access Who We Are Captain Scott Griffith is the Founder and Managing Partner of SG Collaborative Solutions, LLC. He initially came to prominence in the field of aviation, and is widely recognized as the father of the airline industry's highly successful Aviation Safety Action Programs (ASAP). In 1998, he received the Admiral Luis de Florez Award from the Flight Safety Foundation for his outstanding contribution to aviation safety. In 2006, he embarked on a professional journey to bring ASAP, Just Culture, and other high reliability applications to other industries, including healthcare, EMS/first responders, the transportation and energy sectors. Griffith gained his reputation for world-class collaborative skills through success in working with high-consequence organizations across the globe. Co-founded with Paul LeSage, SG Collaborative Solutions is an enterprise reliability management firm specializing in high-consequence industries and organizations. We are the pioneers of the Sequence of Reliability model of socio-technical improvement. Ours is a service-centered, platform-supported business, augmented by a suite of highly adaptive and customizable tools to guide your success. Combining world-class expertise with unrivaled collaboration skills, we specialize in designing optimal reliability solutions for your organization. What Is the Sequence of Reliability™? The term HRO - High Reliability Organization - has been around since the late eighties, and was originally applied to aircraft carriers, airlines, and nuclear power plants. However, there are two problems: 1) HROs are not immune to catastrophes, and 2) Your organization may look nothing like these HROs. So the questions are: * How do we translate the success of HROs from one organization to another? * How do we begin the journey to high reliability in my unique organization? The Sequence of Reliability is a transformational approach to managing socio-technical improvement combining principles of systems engineering, behavioral and organizational psychology, and the legal and ethical principles guiding individual accountability. Sustainable reliability equals performance over time. Organizations are complex combinations of systems and people. Our Sequence of Reliability guides you in seeing, understanding, and managing performance to produce sustainable results. Free Trial Access to Principles of Reliability Click here to learn more and then click Trial to self-register for free 14-day access. Begin your personal and organizational journey to sustainable high reliability here. Principles of Reliability is the prerequisite for all other courses. This fast-paced online course is organized into five sections, each containing a group of related learning modules which can be viewed on any device, including mobile phones. Each module is short, typically 3 minutes in length, and can be viewed repeatedly. The sections and modules in this course are progressive and sequenced to help you quickly acquire the skills needed to become highly reliable. Healthcare professionals who complete this online course will be awarded 2.75 Contact Hours. SGCS is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider CEP17030. Contact Us to Learn More and Schedule Additional Courses SG Collaborative Solutions, LLC Email: info@sg-collaborative.com Office Phone: 682-237-2340 Fax: 888-223-5405 Website: www.sg-collaborative.com -------------------------------- CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient and may contain information that is confidential, protected and/or privileged under state and Federal privacy laws. If you received this e-mail in error, be aware that any unauthorized use; disclosure, copying, or distribution is prohibited. Please contact the sender immediately and destroy all copies of this message. -------------------------------- Back to Top Back to Top Back to Top Back to Top Helicopter Association International (HAI) is dedicated to providing its members with services that directly benefit their operations, and to advancing the international helicopter community by providing programs that enhance safety, encourage professionalism and economic viability while promoting the unique contributions vertical flight offers society. HAI has more than 3,800 member organizations and annually produces HAI HELI-EXPO®, the world's largest trade show and exposition dedicated to helicopters. Director of Safety Department: Operations Reports to: Vice President of Operations Status: Full Time, Exempt Overview: The Director of Safety is responsible for managing the association's existing aviation safety programs, and developing new safety initiatives to benefit HAI's membership and the international helicopter community. Essential Functions of the Position Include, but Are Not Limited To: * Serving as the HAI safety representative on various industry, government, and international boards, task forces, and meetings * Developing responses to proposed safety-related regulations and legislative initiatives * Collecting, researching, and analyzing helicopter safety and accident data for subsequent statistical reporting * Developing and implementing new HAI industry safety initiatives * Routinely interacting with the full spectrum of aviation related agencies and organizations in support of the rotorcraft industry * Managing all aspects of HAI's accreditation program that assists helicopter operators to reduce accident rates and improve safety cultures * Providing safety supervision for all flight activities at the association's annual trade show and exposition, HAI HELI-EXPO® * Managing and mentoring the deputy director of safety * Serving as staff liaison for assigned HAI committees * Contributing content for use in HAI's printed and electronic publications * Other duties as assigned The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. Desired Qualifications for the Position Include: * College or advanced degree related to aviation safety and/or management * Seven or more years of related helicopter safety background, training, and experience * Certificated helicopter pilot and/or maintenance technician * Previous experience with helicopter or other aviation-related organization(s) * Experience with auditing protocols and accreditation programs * A passionate commitment to the promotion of helicopter safety * Previous association or not-for-profit experience * Excellent written and verbal communication skills with significant experience in creating and delivering written proposals and public presentations * Advanced computer skills and proficiency with the Microsoft Office Suite * Team player, with proven ability to manage, mentor, and motivate staff * Detail oriented, self-starter, with strong organizational and time management skills * Ability to travel The above qualifications are representative, but not all-inclusive, of the experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities required for the position. APPLY HERE Back to Top The CARM Collaborative Working Group Common Aviation Risk Models (CARM)* 3rd Annual Meeting October 1, 2018 08:30 - 16:00 PURPOSE OF THE ANNUAL MEETING The Annual Meeting is designed to share current efforts of the Common Aviation Risk Models Group among the existing members and new participants to the CARM activities. Guests are welcome to attend and participate to gain an understanding of the progress being made collaboratively in the area of BowTies and aviation risk management. There is no fee to attend. *What is CARM? CARM involves the joint development and sharing of BowTie risk models by industry experts. Models will cover the key hazards associated with all aspects of aviation operations. On a global basis, CARM becomes the place where risk understanding can be captured and incorporated continuously. It moves the process away from the existing one-shot accident/investigation/actions process to a global learning "engine." Additional Information: https://www.cgerisk.com/event/carm MEETING LOCATION CGE Innovation Center Vlietweg 17w (7th floor) 2266 KA Leidschendam The Netherlands T: +31 88 100 1350 AGENDA - Includes presentations by: Air Transat American Airlines Delta Air Lines Japan Airlines NavCanada Seafox SPACE IS LIMITED - RSVP by 19 Sept. to: Terry.Eisenbart@TheAloftGroup.com USA +1.505.306.5326 Back to Top Back to Top Back to Top ISASI 2018 Intercontinental Hotel, Festival City, Dubai. 30 October to 1 November, 2018 "The Future of Aircraft Accident Investigation" ISASI is pleased to announce that the preliminary Technical Program for ISASI 2018 is now posted. It is, of course, subject to change between now and the end of October. All up to date information, including registration forms for the seminar and a reservation link for the hotel can be found at http://isasiannualseminar.com/ We look forward to seeing all of you in Dubai. Curt Lewis